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Angelique Kerber didn't want to talk about it for long.

“If I had known all of this beforehand, I would have thought twice,” said the German number one after their first-round defeat at the Australian Open.

First two weeks in strict quarantine, then the early exit - Australia was not worth a trip this year for the Melbourne winner of 2016.

“I'm not someone who looks for excuses.

But of course it has an impact if you can't hit the balls for two weeks, ”said Kerber after the 0: 6, 4: 6 on Monday against the American Bernarda Pera.

Since then in Andrea Petkovic (3: 6, 6: 3, 4: 6 against the number 27 seeded Tunisian Ons Jabeur) and Laura Siegemund (1: 6, 1: 6 against Serena Williams) two other German women failed right at the beginning , Mona Barthel is the only German left in the women's competition.

The Schleswig-Holstein player will meet the qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto from Italy in her first round game on Tuesday.

Kerber owed everything against Pera, especially in the first round.

The performance was reminiscent of her listless appearance at the French Open in Paris at the end of September last year.

Even then, she had already failed in the first round.

The 33-year-old moved poorly, made many simple mistakes and gave up the first set 6-0 after just 18 minutes.

She made a measly eight points in the first round.

“Before I flew to Australia, I had a good preparation and a good rhythm.

After the quarantine, the rhythm was missing today, ”said Kerber.

In the second sentence, Kerber threatened a debacle

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The three-time Grand Slam tournament winner had to spend 14 days in strict quarantine after arriving in Melbourne because there was a corona case on her flight.

The former number one in the world was therefore not allowed to leave her hotel room for two weeks.

The preparation for the first Grand Slam tournament of the season was of course significantly restricted.

Against Pera, Kerber was quickly 3-0 behind in the second set, and a complete debacle threatened.

But then the former number one in the world at least discovered her fighter heart and bit her way into the game.

At 1: 3 she managed to win the first game, the match was finally open.

But even if Pera was now a little nervous and made more mistakes, it was no longer enough for Kerber for the turnaround.

After just 70 minutes, the number 66 in the world transformed her second match ball.

Siegemund was never an option against Serena Williams for a win.

The 32-year-old Swabian managed a quick break to make it 1-0, but then the American made ten games in a row.

On the way to her longed-for 24th Grand Slam title, it was a relaxed gallop for the 39-year-old exceptional player.

Petkovic, on the other hand, showed a good performance and a lot of fighter heart.

However, the 33-year-old from Darmstadt could not use her chances and therefore lost unhappily.